The Time Keeper
by Mad Ass Dragon
Summary: The world is a deadly, cruel and merciless place, and the Darkspawn have all but destroyed it. Leaving humanity and Pokémon at the brink of extinction, still they fight one another, as they have for centuries. Chrono, a rather unique Pokémon Hunter, sets out to hunt the ultimate prize but instead is conscripted into a battle that will not only reshape the world, but time itself.
1. Prologue

**Prologue.**

 **Hey guys!**

 **Mad Ass Dragon is alive and he has returned to FanFiction! Wait let me check, make sure I'm still alive. (Checks pulse but cannot find it.) Wellll looks like I'm dead, that would explain where I've been for all these months. Hehehehehe.**

 **But I'm here and I'm writing again, and I've made** _ **SSSSSOOOOOOOO**_ **many wonderfully evil changes to this fic, I hope you guys enjoy it!**

 **For those of you who read the old first chapter of this fic, I thank you and ask you to forget it ever existed. It was an abomination to this fantastic fic and has been sent to Hell to burn for all eternity, mwuhahahahahaha!**

 **Now for the awkward part, I gotta explain why this fic is rated M… don't say I didn't warn you.**

 **Violence. Death. Destruction. Rape. Graphic lemons featuring both WomanXMan and WomanXWomanXMan. Cannibalism. Torture. Foul-language. Incest and anything else that is either thoroughly disgusting or evil, that my twisted mind can put together! HA!**

 **Anyway, enjoy the prologue and the first chapter guys!**

 **Disclaimer: My ownership of pokémon or Dragon Age is as likely to happen, as Monika from DDLC coming out of my computer and telling me she loves me, is to happen. NEVER HAPPEN BECAUSE I NEVER INSTALLED THAT DEVIL GAME! AH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

* * *

' **I see you come before me, clutching your babes to you breast… to witness the Maker's work,'** Mother Gisele said. Her robes of the Chantry billowed in the heat of the torches behind her. **'Men of Kanto… your swords have failed you, so now you turn to the Maker for protection.'**

The crowd was restless and riled, their voices unified as one, calling for the execution to begin. They pelted rotting fruit, vegetables and tainted meat at the pyres, and the creatures strapped to the stakes within them, hurling insults and vulgar language with every putrid tomato. Yet were careful not to harm the priestess, who stood between them with open arms.

' **And yet you do not plead? You do not kneel to dust your heads with the sacred ash? Instead you wail, "Why has the Maker forsaken us?" We must look back to the trials we failed long ago!'** She cried out. **'In a past time, our world intertwined with another… the Maker allowed unholy abominations into our world. The nefarious creatures called pokémon!'** The crowd roared with rage, raised their tools and voiced their disgust and hatred. **'Yet we did not banish them, did not purge this filth from the gift our Maker had given us, instead we comingled with these creatures! We chose the hunger of the flesh over the purity, of faith… and birthed the** _ **abomination**_ **of the** _ **halfling!**_ **'**

The creatures strapped to the pyres raised their heads, tears were falling from their eyes and they pleaded and begged for their lives. Yet their tears were met with rotten food.

' **Creatures born of human and pokémon, more monster than man!'** Mother Gisele thrust a withered hand out to the pyres. **'These foul beasts were sin incarnate, just as these are, yet did we destroy the first that came, as we will these?! NO! We allowed them pollute and taint the gift our Maker gave us!'**

The halflings cried out that they had done nothing and struggled against their bindings. Despite the strength of the boy whose skin was covered by blue and black fur, with a pointed mouth and crimson eyes, he could not break free. **'Please spare mi, Mother! Mi father forced 'imself on mi ma, 'e was a lucario, 'e was stronger than 'er she could na stop 'im! I done nothin'!'** He cried.

Crackles of electricity ran across the body of the second halfling. Like the first, her body was also covered by fur, but hers was striking yellow and deepest black and her hands were much larger than that of a normal girl's, along with two antennae upon her head. **'He's telling the truth! Both our fathers forced our mothers to bear us, we had no part in it! We won't hurt no one we won't! Please the Maker commands mercy! Have mercy upon us! We's served faithfully fer years, we will serve fer many more!'**

The crowd was not moved by their speeches, and their pleas only agitated them further. It had been fifteen years since the seed of lucario and electabuzz had first sprouted, and now they had outlived their usefulness, to let them live another day would anger the Maker and present risk to everyone within the city. The people no longer wanted to keep them as slaves, they wanted them to burn. Nothing less would sate their lust for retribution.

' **It was from the loins of halflings that the vile, twisted beings were born, cursed by our sin… the first of the Darkspawn.'** Mother Gisele said. She ignored both the halflings entirely, she would not avert her eyes from the crowd, such disgusting creatures deserved no pity. Only to burn by holy fire, just as Andraste had before them. **'These foul demons became a blight upon the lands, unstoppable and relentless. Our underground kingdoms were the first to fall, and from the Deep Roads the Darkspawn drove at us again and again and again, until finally we neared annihilation.'**

' **Did we take it upon ourselves to rid our lands of these creatures, or did we pass the burden to another? The Grey Wardens rose from the ashes of our dead, men and women from every race, warriors and mages, barbarians and kings, the Grey Wardens sacrificed everything to stem the tide of darkness we had brought upon ourselves… yet it wasn't enough. Not to defeat those monsters. The Darkspawn proved themselves too numerous and brought humanity, and pokémon, to the edge of extinction. But through faith and prayer, we were saved!'**

Mother Gisele raised the torch that would be used to ignite the pyres, and begin the execution, high and the crowd cheered. **'A miracle came to us, a gift from the Maker, the Great Ward! A holy shield against the darkness! It fell upon our last standing nations, the kingdoms of Sinnoh, Johto and Kanto, and halted the Darkspawn assault! For centuries it has kept the Darkspawn at bay and given the faithful, the chance to rebuild and repent their sins! Only by eliminating these monsters and turning from our sins, will the Maker return to us and rid the curse upon the world!'**

The crowd roared with her, crying out that they would repent their sins, they would do the Maker's work, and they would destroy the pokémon menace once and for all! **'Ever since that day we have done as the Maker commanded, we have fought the wicked creatures! We have destroyed them, but they too fight and slaughter countless innocents! We must keep up the fight, we must rid the world of pokémon and halflings alike, if we are ever to be free of the Darkspawn and regain our land!'** She held the torch to the slow burning wood at the first halfling's feet, igniting it, and raised her aged voice high. **'Today we burn the vile seed of pokémon! We send them to the Fade where they belong!'**

The lucario halfling screamed as the heat singed his fur, he tried in vain to blow the fire out, but within minutes he was aflame and burned to death. His charred, lifeless body hung from the stake and the crowd erupted into a cheer, they wanted another. **'The Grey Wardens have failed us! They have always failed us! Through faith and devotion we will regain what was taken from us, not through their dark magic and blood rituals! When all of pokémon kind lies dead we will have our victory!'** She stopped only to ignite the second pyre and watch, and listen, as the electabuzz halfling howled in agonising pain. She cried out that she only wanted to live as one of them, was that so wrong? Before she succumbed to the heat, and the pain, and died.

Again the crowd cheered and praised the mother for her deeds, praising her as a hero and a saint. **'None will fight this battle for us, faithful! We shall unite with the chant of light and spread the Maker's justice, by the sword! No longer shall those** _ **things**_ **murder our men and rape our women, no longer shall they plant these demons in our wombs, no longer shall they spill our blood! Nigh is the time of battle, nigh is the time of war, nigh is the time… of the Chant of Light!'** The people of Lothering roared with the mother, their axes and pitchforks rose high, their lust for blood and battle rose even higher.

* * *

Samlen sighed as he gazed upon the night sky, watching the aurora borealis swim through the heavens. **'Ma Venhan… it's been so long since I last laid eyes upon you, yet I still remember every inch of your skin, as if you stood here beside me now. Can you see the Ward tonight? The moonlight dances across its edge, the way we did when we were married.'** He turned the silver band between his fingers, rubbing his thumb across the amethyst laid into it. **'I know, you would've loved to have seen it… Velara.'**

He returned his attention to the light show above and continued to muse his thoughts. **'How long has it been since you were taken from me? How many years have passed…? I can no longer tell… the people have forgotten, Venhan, forgotten that they were once kin and that only by uniting together, were they able to survive. Now humans and pokémon wage unending war upon each other, the things they do to each other are unspeakable…'**

The mage returned the ring to his finger, sat it next to the second band of solid silver that was his own, and shed a tear. **'They've forgotten their true enemy and rely on the Great Ward to keep them safe… but it will not last. I wish it were not so, but the Great Ward** _ **will**_ **fall. I have seen it in my dreams. The Darkspawn will come, they will come like a plague that never ends, and they will annihilate all that remains… and they would fight and kill each other in this, their final hour.'**

' **It may already be too late to save them…'** he stopped and kissed the bands across his ring finger, as if he kissed the cheek of his departed bride. ' **But I will try. Whether they thank me for it or not, I will try to save them… as I always have. The Chantry will try to stop me, brand me a heretic, but what do they know? They blame and murder innocent people rather than confront the true source of their problems; they feed the next generation tauros shit with a silver spoon, and blame pokémon for the Darkspawn plague. We both know what really caused this corruption, and it was neither pokémon or halflings… but what do they care for the truth?'**

Samlen sighed and shook his head, exasperated by the nature of men and pokémon alike. **'They just want someone to blame… that prejudice will be their undoing. If the Darkspawn do not finish them off, then the flames of hatred and racism will.'**

* * *

" **Well that's fucking ominous" – Mr Popo, DBZ abridged. Episode 40.**

' **Nuff said.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed the prologue, do me a favour and hit that Follow/Favourite button with your face! Then tell me what you thought of this piece of crap, and throw it at me in a review! Anything welcome, especially flames! DRAGON** _ **LOVES**_ **FLAMES!**

 **See you next chapter guys!**

 **Dragon out!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Death's Embrace**

 **HEY GUYS!**

 **Mad Ass Dragon's back and he comes bearing a gift of the first chapter! If you're one of the people who hit the Follow/Favourite button before I posted this, then I say go back and read the prologue first! No skipping it!**

 **And since I said everything I needed to in the A/N there… GO BACK AND READ THAT TOO! AH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

 **Disclaimer: If I own pokémon or Dragon Age, then Krillin doesn't get owned all the time in DBZ and DBS! So I don't own shit in either of them! Except my games, stay away from them! They're mine! Lol!**

* * *

' **Chrono… rise, my friend. Hear my voice… it has begun…'**

Chrono's eyes jerked open, his lungs drew a long, hiss of a breath and his body awoke from its rigid slumber with a sudden, painful spasm. Pain coursed through his veins and revived his senses, but in that instant, all he knew was that he was in more pain than he had ever felt, and it was everywhere. Trembling, his hands instinctively reached for his head and ran through his hair, spreading mud and blood through its length. No wounds, but it hurt and it hurt badly. Had to find it. He had to find the source and make it stop.

Breathing hurt. Felt like something was stabbing him with every breath, beneath his ribs on the right. There was a wound there, a large, bleeding wound… no, it wasn't just one wound, there were three separate wounds, close together. With something large and jagged, still stuck in the largest and deepest of them. Chrono grit his teeth and grasped the foreign object, and, with the greatest effort he could muster, ripped it free from his flesh.

' **AAAAGH!'** He cried out and gripped the interloping object tightly, his free hand pressed hard on the bleeding wound. It was all he could do to endure and curse. **'Fucking bastard thing! Stupid mother fucking rain!'**

Rain…? Yes, it was raining. Thunder and lightning tore the night sky asunder, he caught glimpses of what the darkness shrouded and kept from him. Like the storm that raged above, memories came crashing down within Chrono's mind, brief flashes of battle, cracks of death and sparks of defeat. It all came to him and he remembered everything that led him to this end. To the ravine, where his brethren would spend all eternity in an unmarked, mass grave.

Death. It spanned as far as the eye could see. The hollow, lifeless faces of his fellow pokémon hunters stared back at him, though their glass like eyes could see no longer. Dozens of bloated, maggot filled corpses littered the ravine, tossed from its edge and left to feed the worms. He could not recognise their faces, they were far too gone for that, but their armor he knew. The armor of a Hunter was as unique as the one who wore it, and Chrono knew every single one of them. Mixed with the earthly remains of his brethren, were the cadavers of pokémon. They too had been cast aside and left to rot. In life pokémon and humans were polar opposites, hated each other and sought to end each other's existence in this tiny world. But in death they were equals and kin.

Chrono could not remain here for long. This many corpses pilled together so close to the place where they died would undoubtedly attract demons from the other side. In his present state Chrono could do nothing to defend himself from a rattata, let alone a spectral being from the Fade, searching for a body to inhabit. He needed to get out of there and treat his wounds, before they got infected.

' **Come on Chrono… move… move…'** he told himself and, with what little strength he had left, dragged himself from what was to be his grave. Through the fields of death and decay. So many bodies had been thrown from the ledge, that they began to form a curved pile, a pile that led to the crest of the ravine. He could climb it and escape this Hell-hole.

Chrono's eyes quickly accustomed to the darkness, now he could see where he was going. Whose corpse he crawled over. And, perhaps most interestingly, who was hanging over the edge of the crest. They wore the shell of a heracross, moulded it into a suit of sturdy armor. Jinn wore heracross armor and carried emergency medical supplies with him, always! His body would certainly carry that which he needed to treat himself!

Spurred on by the hope of pain relief, Chrono climbed the ledge faster. Avoiding the bodies that seemed the most rotten, as they would surely disintegrate upon his touch. He had been wrong when he first saw them, he had assumed they were fresh and that the attack had begun mere hours ago… but this level of decomposition took days, maybe longer. How long had he been unconscious and lying amidst them all? How were his wounds not infected? How had he not bled to death? And how had he survived with a claw in his fucking lung?! Perhaps they were infected and he simply didn't know the signs of infection, it would explain the pain he felt and the almost alien feeling within him.

Just how had he survived for so long, without help?

' **Because I am strong!'** He grumbled beneath his breath, **'stronger than all of them! They're all dead, but I'm alive and I will survive!'** Adrenaline surged through him and spurred his movements; the body was almost in reach now. He could see a satchel hanging from Jinn's shoulder! **'I'm a pokémon hunter! An elite warrior! I stare death in the face every time I face those things, and I grow stronger while the rest of you hide and beg us for protection! I am** _ **the strongest of all**_ **and I** _ **will not**_ **die tonight!'**

Chrono's fingerless gloved hands latched onto the tempting satchel and wrenched it free from its owner, but slipped and tumbled back down the curve of corpses, to fall face first in a mud puddle. **'HA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!** ' Chrono didn't care, he pushed himself onto his back and roared with laughter. He tore the bag's seams as he ripped it open and gazed inside to find…

Nothing. The bag was empty. Clearly, whoever tossed Jinn here looted his corpse of valuables first. No sense letting it go to waste after all.

' **HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!'** He barked with laughter and hurled the useless bag aside, like trash. It was empty, it was his one hope for survival and it was empty. Like everything else in life, hope had proven itself to be hollow and not but ash. **'HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! LOOKS LIKE YOU GOT THE LAST LAUGH JINN, YOU ALWAYS DID HATE MY GUTS! HAHAHAHAHAHA! WHEN I GET TO THE FADE, I'M GONNA PUNCH YOU IN THE COCK YOU MOTHER FUCKING CUNT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!'**

Defeated, Chrono stopped laughing and opened his eyes. He wondered what would finish him off first. Hunger? Thirst? Would he bleed to death, he doubted it, the wounds weren't bleeding fast enough for that. Infection might be the one, already he could feel his strength fading… or maybe, just maybe, he would meet his end by the massive hole in the sky.

' **Can a hole in the sky even kill ya?'** He mused and stared into its brilliant, emerald green core. **'Guess I'll find out soon… bring it on… ya bastard.'**

It was magnificent, yet terrifying. Mt Silver was the highest peak in all the known world, its spire shrouded by a veil of black clouds that never seemed to leave. It was known as 'the throne of the Maker,' by those foolish enough to believe in a deity. But the mountain was not what intrigued and terrified him, no, it was the colossal tear in the sky above that drew his eye and forced his heat to beat harder. At its core, it was a deep shade of emerald green. A vortex of illuminous green seemed to constantly fall from it, growing brighter and brighter the further it fell, before fading into the rest of the sky. A crackling, lightning bolt-like, strike of energy fell from its centre, continuously striking Mt Silver's concealed tip.

The sky, it was like the surface of a normally calm lake, and the hole, it was an ever-lasting ripple. That had been disturbed by the violent intrusion of an alien stone, cast by an ignorant fool, who knew little of the delicate balance they had not only disturbed, but shattered. The light it cast upon the earth was brighter than the moon, but not so bright that it blinded when stared into.

' **It's… it's… beaut… beautiful…'** Chrono panted, exhaustion overtaking him. Suddenly, it was hard to keep his eyes open and the urge to sleep was so very tempting. **'G… great las… last… sight.'**

With a final, struggle of breath, Chrono let go of the final string of consciousness and allows the hooks of sleep to drag him down into the black oblivion. _What will I become, in death?_ He thought as everything went dark.

* * *

' **What senseless violence,'** an unfamiliar, gruff voice screamed. Felt like boulders being hurled inside Chrono's head. **'These poor sods didn't deserve to die, let alone be laid to rest like this.'**

' **Shut up…'** Chrono grumbled, returning to the land of the waking. **'Not so fucking loud…'**

' **This battle was as pointless as the war between humans and pokémon itself. They think themselves so high and mighty, think they do their god's work, but they're all a bunch of nug-fuckers. Killing innocent people who just don't know any better,'** the voice stopped and sighed. **'Why does no one listen to the truth? Why must they be blinded by racism and unfounded hatred? All they're doing is making it easier for the Darkspawn to destroy us all… now the Great Ward has begun to collapse, they'll start coming in. Then maybe they'll listen and set aside their differences, to prevent the apocalypse from devouring what little life is left in this world… heh, like that'll ever happen.'**

The voice was like a sword thrusted through his skull, cleaving his brain and crushing what remained. It was unbearable agony. **'Shut up!'** He grumbled and clutched his throbbing head, **'just shut up!'**

' **Humans and pokémon are impossible to reason with, they're too wrapped up in propaganda and ancient traditions, to ever see the truth. That they're not that different… they're both as bad each other! Slaughtering innocent people like dogs, and for what?! A bit of fun, some coin or just to please their god. Codswallop to it all!'**

' **I said shut up!'** Chrono barked, **'shut up!'**

' **Well, standing around here getting angry doesn't help anything… these poor sods are dead, nothing I can do to bring 'em back. Maybe if I had awoken sooner, I might've been strong enough to do something. But now, I'm useless… may the gods condemn whatever senseless ignoramus, did this. You've no idea the powers you've meddled with.'**

This idiot was indeed useless, and apparently deaf! He just wouldn't shut up, Chrono could take it no more! **'SHUT UP YOU MOTHER FUCKING CUNT!'** He screamed and opened his eyes.

Atop the ridge, next to the body of Jinn, stood a man. Light cast by the tear in the sky reflected from his bald head, it gave the illusion he had a head full of green hair. Though the light was bright, Chrono could see features that drew his attention. The stranger's chin was pointed, quite sharply so, and his deep green eyes were unfocused and gem like. In his hand he held a staff, made of light coloured wood, with a short blade at the bottom and a glass orb at the top, held by the wood.

The stranger's head suddenly jerked down and his eyes focused, as if he was asleep and had been rudely awoken. **'BY THE GODS YOU'RE ALIVE?!'** He screamed, stunned.

' **How could anyone survive in this cesspool?'** That same voice screamed again, much louder within Chrono's head.

' **Maker's nut sack! Shut up screaming! I can't take it!'** Chrono screamed and writhed, clutching his head tighter.

' **Hang on lad, I'm coming!'** Called back the stranger, **'stay there!'**

The stranger's body turned ethereal and he raced faster than the eye could properly follow, in a blink he was at Chrono's side, solid once more. Smiling down at him, he pulled Chrono's hood over his head. **'There, that better lad?'**

In that instant it all came to an end. The screaming voice in Chrono's head, the pain it caused him, all of it was gone. Chrono, able to think again, weakly nodded his head. **'Yeah…'**

' **Thought it would,'** replied the stranger, who set his sights on the gaping wounds on Chrono's side. **'Zygarde's mercy, that's a serious injury, you need treatment** _ **now!**_ **'**

Before Chrono could even ask, the bald-headed stranger had pressed clean bandages against the wound and pulled a crimson coloured potion from his belt, then popped the cork with his teeth. **'Keep calm lad, I can help you. Here, drink it,'** the cocktail was vile and burned with the fury of the sun as it went down, but Chrono lacked the strength to spit it back up and simply swallowed it, as he was told. Giving no thought to what the potion was. **'It's an elfroot potion, tastes like dragon piss and burns just like it, but it'll slow your heart rate and keep you from bleeding any further. Should help with the pain too,'** the man said roughly, but not unkindly. **'In other words, it'll stop you from dying and give me the chance to heal you. Just takes a couple minutes to kick in.'**

Having swallowed the final, bitter drops, Chrono gaged and panted. **'What's your name?'**

' **Samlen. And you are?'**

' **Chrono.'**

Samlen gave Chrono a strange look, as if surprised to hear he had a name like that. **'That's a fine name Chrono, haven't heard anyone by that name in years. If memory serves correctly, it's an ancient name with meaning… "time," as I recall. Means time… is it your real name, or just the handle of a pokémon hunter?'**

' **My real name,'** Chrono spat back. Rage quickly filling him, why would he use a false name?! How dare this stranger question his identity, just because his name was unusual. **'Chose it myself. How'd you know I'm a Hunter?!'**

' **Well it isn't exactly hard to notice,** _ **Chrono,**_ **'** Samlen's voice turned sharp and bitter, to match that of Chrono. He gripped his staff tighter and dug his fingers into the wounds, but Chrono did not flinch. **'Your armor. It's black leather, must be made from Dark pokémon skin. That'd protect you from Psychic, Ghost and Dark attacks very well, it'd make you invulnerable to Psychics. You've got a Slinger stuck on your left arm too, never understood why you Hunters call them that, they're just small crossbows. Then there's your sword and dagger, strapped to your right side. Unusual choice. Every warrior I've ever met kept their sword on their left. Makes it easier to draw.'**

' **I'm left handed,'** Chrono snapped back. It was a lie, but the truth was of no concern.

' **Hmm,'** Samlen replied. His eyes briefly skipped to Chrono's belt line, where his dagger was no longer hung. **'There's more to you that's strange, lad. Your armor, it's loose on your body and light. Never seen a Hunter who wore anything that wasn't heavy and didn't protect as much of them as possible, but you, you wear a hood and leave your arms completely uncovered.'** Samlen stopped and met the shrouded gaze of Chrono, tension quickly rose between them. **'Not the smartest of choices. About as smart killing the only person for miles, who can help you.'**

Chrono chuckled and returned his dagger, smirking as he did. **'Aye, wouldn't be very smart. 'Bout as stupid as an apostate presenting himself to a Hunter, 'ey?'**

With the presentation of a smirk the tension was broken, Samlen ceased digging his fingers and smirked back at the Hunter. **'Clever bastard ain't ya? Aye, Chrono. I'm an apostate, a mage without a hunting party, and as you know that's illegal… if you ask me, it's not the apostate who's stupid. It's the moron who tries to bring him in, alive, when his head's only worth a few measly coppers. Apostate's aren't really worth the effort, are they now, Chrono?'**

' **Nah, not really. Lot of trouble to bring a mage in, apostate or not, especially when I'm wounded like this.'**

' **Heh, that's what they all say… now our introductions are out of the way, what say you we heal these wounds, hmm?'** Healing waves flowed from Samlen's hand, wafting like the waves of a calm ocean through Chrono's painful body. The eflroot potion had in deed taken the edge off the pain, but it still felt as though he had one foot in the grave. The healing waves brought comfort and bliss to him, he could get used to this.

' **I'm glad I chose not to kill you,'** Chrono said plainly, as if describing the weather.

A black eyebrow crawled up Samlen's face, apparently surprised by Chrono's choice of words. He said nothing regarding it however, instead raised an entirely new question. **'Chrono, were you here when the Breach was opened?'**

' **Breach? What're you on about?'**

' **That, up there,'** Samlen gestured to the tear in the sky with his staff. **'People started calling it the Breach a few days ago, surely you must've seen** _ **something.**_ **So tell me lad, what in the name of the Gods happened here? Surely simple war cannot tear the Great Ward.'**

Gods? Why had he said that? People are deluded to believe that there is a guiding force out there, controlling the chaotic nature of… well… nature. But most only envisioned "the Maker" as this guiding force they call a God, yet Samlen had specifically said "Gods" suggesting he believed there was more than one. How odd.

' **Yeah… I saw it all, Samlen. And no, war didn't do shit to the sky… it was the dragon…'**

* * *

Chrono and Azor had their backs to a boulder scarcely large enough to conceal and protect them. All around them explosions lit up the night in a vibrant display of colours, drowned by the howling screams of dying men and women. A Hunter screeched as he hurled past their field of vision, his body half frozen, propelled by an icy blue beam of energy. Vibrant blue flames burned through the air, scorching the boulder that protected both Azor and Chrono.

' **We're getting hammered, Azor! We've gotta attack!'** Chrono screamed at Azor, his voice barely reaching his leader's ears, despite the fact they were less than a foot apart.

' **I know!'** Azor screamed back, his face concealed by his helmet.

A second wave of flames flew to the boulder, but this time Azor was ready. He leapt from behind cover and sprinted into the heart of the flames. Protected from their burning kiss by the heavy steel armor, made from Fire type pokémon, it glowed crimson when heated. Azor felt no burns nor excess heat. **'OI MATCHSTICK!'** He barked and slashed his two handed long sword, sending a strike of crimson fire through the Flamethrower. The flames tore apart and dispersed, Chrono peered over the charred boulder, to watch his leader do battle with the vile magmortar. While all around them, countless Hunters did battle against a seemingly endless army of pokémon.

' **ROCK TOMB!'** Cried the Magmortar, his tongue foreign and a mystery to Chrono. Purple blobs of energy launched from his cannon-like arms, Azor slashed them in half before they could rip the earth from beneath his feet and entomb him. His sword sliced the pokémon's arm clean off, but as the magmortar screamed, his remaining arm landed a solid Fire Punch to his chest.

Azor, protected by his Fire armor, laughed the irritating blow off and beheaded the beast with a single slash of his sword. **'Chrono! Get the fuck up, we don't-'**

From the shrouded mysteries of the forest leapt a green, serpent-like creature. Its thick, tree of a tail slammed into Azor's back and hurled him across the battlefield. Undoubtedly bruised, but alive and still able to fight, Azor groaned and turned to Chrono. **'Don't just sit there, help me you bastard!'**

Chrono did not respond immediately, instead chose to think before acting. By which time Azor was back to his feet and doing battle with the sceptile, his flaming sword matching the green Leaf Blade of the forest pokémon. Azor was a great warrior and a true asset to Chrono, though his weakness for reliance on others may well have sealed his fate. The strong needed no one to survive, Azor was strong, and yet he had allowed himself to be attacked. The sceptile seemed strong too, it moved quickly and, like himself, wore only a strip of leather to hide his shame. He was a smart fighter. It would be a difficult fight to call a victor, neither one of them had any definitive advantage over the other.

To save Azor would ensure the sceptile's demise, but risk his own health. But Azor's purse was always loose and he kept Chrono swimming in alcohol, it would indeed be difficult to replace him if he were to die. Not to mention Chrono held a deep-rooted hatred for pokémon. He didn't like humans much either, but his hatred for pokémon was greater.

' **Let the game begin,'** Chrono whispered and leapt over the boulder. He drew his blade and held it backwards in his right hand, the double-edged sword brushed against his exposed forearm, and sprinted into battle. Leather was lighter than steel and meant Chrono was faster on his feet than most, being coloured black, it also made him difficult to see in the dark of night. This would be an easy victory for Dark Hunter.

The sharp, piercing yellow eye of the sceptile sharply turned to Chrono and remined fixed upon him. SHIT! The fucking thing could see in the dark! The sceptile was quick to abandon Azor, slammed him with its tail, and raced towards his newest challenger. His powerful legs were a blur of green, his piercing yellow eye never wavered from Chrono's position.

Chrono acted purely on instinct when he loaded a blinding bolt into his Slinger and launched it straight at the sceptile, but it worked, and it worked brilliantly. A flash of light flooded the forest, brighter than the surface of the sun. **'Ezio, the humans made the sun explode in our faces!'** Howled a pokémon, clutching its eyes. The sceptile, or Ezio as the pokémon called him, called back that it was the one in black. He stole their vision.

It was in that moment Chrono was pleased he had lined his hood with Ghost pokémon skin, the shadow it cast across his eyes shielded him from the flash and granted him better vision in the night. However, the same could not be said for his fellow Hunters.

' **Chrono you're a fucking bastard!'** Azor barked as he staggered around, wildly swinging his blade, blinded by the flash.

' **Creator guide my strike!'** Howled Ezio. Hundreds of tiny, fast moving seeds flew from his mouth. Bullet Seed. Ezio fired tight streams in random directions, hoping to hit the Dark Hunter, but Chrono was too quick and agile to be struck by such a clumsy attack.

He swerved from the deadly stream, leapt over that which got in his way and cut down whatever was stupid enough to dare walk in his path. Before Chrono could reach his green scaled target, Ezio's eyes opened and focused onto him again. **'Shit! Not close enough!'** He mused. Quickly he changed direction, avoiding a renewed barrage of Bullet Seeds by the skin of his teeth.

' **Hold still you little shit!'** Ezio screamed.

Chrono did nothing to even acknowledge his enemy, not that he knew what was said, but focused his attention on a new enemy that emerged from the darkness. A machamp accompanied by a darmanitan, their fists raised and glowing with energy. The quick-thinking Hunter swiped his hand sharply and changed direction, leaving a fine purple mist in his wake. A mist that was breathed by the two pokémon and choked upon.

Panting heavily, Chrono pressed his back into the trunk of a wide tree, Bullet Seeds whizzed past him and took lumps of tree with them. His muscles ached, and he felt tired, but there was not a drop of blood in his mouth. _Guess I didn't breathe the poison_ , he thought and watched the pokémon convulse and thrash on the ground, spewing up blood. _That poison powder will make an excellent bolt shot, just need to figure out the right method of release._ A rogue Bullet Seed shot past his head, ruffling his hood, and shifted his focus back to the battle. **'DON'T YOU EVER GET TIRED?!'** He barked, **'HOW LONG CAN YOU KEEP UP THIS BLOODY ATTACK?!'**

' **CHA! LALALALALALALALALALALALA!'** Screeched Woodruff like he was possessed by a demon and raced into battle. What little light there was reflected from his bisharp made armor, as well as his pawniard sword.

' **You're dead, Tree-Tail!'** Bellowed Thrax who, like his brother, sprinted into battle. But he was weighed down heavily by his golisopod shell armor and was much slower. He had no need for a sword or mace, not when his armor had four sharp claws protruding from his gauntlets.

Ezio's attack ended abruptly, he was forced to defend himself against the combined might of Woodruff and Thrax, who attacked him simultaneously with a combination of light and swift strikes from Woodruff, and heavy hitting blows from Thrax. The brothers communicated with each other without the need for words, they were as one mind and their attacks flowed together perfectly. Chrono wondered if their exceptional team work was the result of years of training together, or the fact that they were identical twin brothers?

Ezio did a truly remarkable job at keeping up with them both, few could ever hope to match the fury of the twins, he even managed to land a solid kick on Woodruff and then hit them both with a powerful Dual Chop attack, lifting and separating them from one another. In that instant his topaz eye fixed on Chrono, in the blink of an eye the forest pokémon was gone.

Chrono did not need to ask where he went, he kicked off the tree with not a second to spare as it was split in half by Ezio's Leaf Blade strike. **'What?! How did you dodge?!'** To respond would be a waste, instead Chrono loaded, and fired, a second bolt. This one buried itself within Ezio's shoulder and carried a rope behind it. **'Shit!'** He cried out, unable to defend himself. Carried by the rope bolt, Chrono smashed his pommel into the sceptile's jaw.

' **RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!'** Azor screamed, charging like a Hellhound in heat with his sword raised for further bloodshed.

Fatigued and in great pain, Ezio fell to his hands and knees, panting, while blood dripped from his mouth. Chron raised his blade, still held backwards, to strike. Azor brought his blade down to behead the beast. Woodruff and Thrax thrusted their blade and claws out to slice the throat. In that instant, with four hands of death vying to take his life, Ezio grinned softly. **'Gotcha fuckers.'**

The seeds on his back glowed white and before any of them could form a defence, they leapt from his back and exploded. Wracked in agony, Chrono could only lie on the grass as Ezio rose to his feet, panting, and ripped the bolt from his shoulder. **'AAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHH! DIRTY HUMAN SCUM!'** His arm hung from its socket, unmoving. Chrono must've struck near something important and, when it was removed, left the arm unable to move.

Azor and Woodruff were the first to rise, their armor protected them from the Seed Bomb better than Woodruff's and Chrono's had, due to it offering them Fire, Dark and Steel type defence, so they took less damage. Azor held his sword tightly, flames danced across its surface. **'Try that again mother fucker, just try it!'**

' **Why won't you just stay down?!'** Growled the sceptile. Sterling white orbs formed in rings around his body and flung themselves at both Azor and Woodruff. The orbs of Hidden Power exploded upon impact with Azor, sent him flying into fire, but they passed through Woodruff without harm whatsoever. **'What in the name of the Creator?!'**

Woodruff looked himself over, laughing hysterically. **'The Maker has favoured me!'** He cried out, apparently crying tears of joy. However, his celebration was cut short by a glowing blue orb of energy. It sent him cascading into the dirt.

' **YEAH! Bazuzu's Focus Blast killed him!'** Announced a slaking, while he beat his own chest in triumph. Thrax rose, still in great pain, and slashed at his overly large belly. Unfortunately, the fat of Bazuzu's belly was too thick and the tiny scratches served only to piss him off.

' **RRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!'** Azor screeched as he returned to battle, his long deep blue hair bursting out for freedom from his damaged helmet. The slash of his flaming sword pushed Bazuzu back and saved Thrax from being pummelled into a bloody mess. **'GET BACK YOU BIG HAIRY BASTARD!'** It was at that moment, that Woodruff resumed the fight and together all three of them engaged their new enemy in battle.

While the others had forgotten Ezio, Chrono had not and struggled to crawl away from him, but he could not escape the topaz eye of the sceptile. Despite being injured and tired, it took Ezio no time to catch up to Chrono, who could barely move. He stared down at the broken Hunter, with pity in his scorn, and stood on his sword arm. **'You were a worthy foe. Never before has a human given me such a good fight, or such a debilitating injury.'** A ball of purple energy with a black hue formed in his mouth, an attack Chrono recognised as Hyper Beam. **'You are a true warrior and worthy of respect, go now to the Fade and be at peace.'**

Chrono smirked and took aim, **'game over bitch!'** A bolt propelled itself free from his slinger and hit Ezio square in the chest. A propulsion of force both forced him back and stole the breath from his lungs, he fell to the earth, struggling against his own body just to breathe.

Chrono, who was merely feigning serious injury, bounced to his feet and sprinted at his prey. His blade poised and thirsty for blood. Time seemed to slow as Chrono leapt into the air, angling his blade down between his hands. This is it, the battle was done. Chrono had won.

Before the final blow could be struck, a massive explosion in the distance drew the eye of every living creature. In the same instance, a massive shockwave ripped through the forest, tearing trees from their roots and flinging both humans and pokémon across the lands, as though there were ragdolls cast aside by a child. As he flew, Chrono spied a massive, mushroom-like, pillar of brilliant pink fire. It as was bright as the sun, but luminous like an amoongus at night. With a heavy thud, the Dark hunter was reunited with the ground and rolled for what felt like an eternity, before slamming into something soft, yet firm.

Dazed and confused, Chrono groaned and lifted his now throbbing head. **'What the Hell was that?'** His question would go unanswered, whilst new ones flared to existence. A magnificent beast flew from the flames and hovered over the mushroom that it had no doubt created.

The beast was winged and dark in colour, but little more could be learned from the distance between them. It roared loud enough for them all to hear and a river of pink fire fell from its mouth, it spewed these flames in a circular motion around itself. Captivated by the beauty and power of this magnificent beast, Chrono failed to see the danger of the situation. The fire that would, without doubt, spread to them and burn them all alive. In that regard, at least, humans and pokémon were equals. They would die together as one.

' **It's using Flamethrower,'** croaked Ezio, **'why's it doing that?'** Others asked what the creature was, but there were no answers for any questions that came.

Suddenly the flying beast ceased its unfocused attack, it abandoned the unpredictable Flamethrower and attacked the surface of Mt Silver with Fire Blast missiles. Smaller explosions burst from every attack, but none had the force to make another shockwave like the first.

' **Why's it using Fire Blast? Is it a pokémon like Bazuzu? Why's it attacking a mountain? There's lots of humans to kill here instead… does it not like mountains?'** Bazuzu asked, his dopey expression almost sweet.

' **Shut up and stop being stupid!'** Barked another pokémon, **'it doesn't look like any pokémon I've ever seen. Creator only knows what that is.'**

The mysterious creature roared again, much louder this time, so loud in fact that Chrono, like many others present, was forced to cover his ears. He watched as its black scaled body was engulfed by hot pink fire, Flair Blitz, and flew into the mountain's side like a Thunder strike. Disappearing completely. **'No wait, come back,'** Chrono cried and reached out, disappointed that the strange beast had vanished.

' **What the fuck was that? A Demon?'** Asked Woodruff.

' **Don't be stupid!'** Chastised his brother, Thrax. **'Demons don't fly into mountains!'**

A shift in his back alerted Chrono to Ezio, clawing at the grass to try and pull himself along. Had he been leaning on him this whole time? **'Whatever it is, it's gone now. We'd best get moving, before the fire co-'** Ezio's final words were denied. Chrono's dagger, thrust through the soft underside of his jaw, sealed his mouth shut and killed him.

' **I said, game. Over. And I win!'** Chrono growled and ripped his blade free.

No one seemed to notice the murder or the body before them, all eyes were dilated and fixed upon the mountain. Many of them trembled and some even whimpered. Only Azor had the constitution to speak. **'What in the name of the Maker is** _ **that?!'**_

Cracks of white light were spreading across the surface of Mt Silver, quickly they rose up its entire length. A brilliant beam of white light burst from its spire, which was still shrouded by dark clouds, and collided with the great Ward above. Suddenly the Ward was visible to their eyes and it shone with a rainbow of colours. Unable to bear the strain any longer, the shimmering shield and final hope of the remaining word, tore open. Splitting the surface of sky, green light spilled out from the gaping hole.

' **Maker's bollocks! The sky's falling!'** Screamed both Woodruff and Thrax simultaneously. Others asked questions to anyone who would listen, even their enemies that, mere minutes ago, they were trying to kill. Apparently, this fact had been forgotten.

Chrono said nothing, he simply stared into the tear, transfixed by its glow and rippling surface. The sky is green? Since when had it been green? Could it have always been green, but the Ward changed it to blue? Or is it the hole itself that's green? There were so many questions, but not one answer.

The same flying black creature that started a terrible fire, burst free from the confines of the mountain, its body still burning. It roared even louder than before. This time there was indeed a noticeable sense of pride in its cry. **'Such a noble beast, so powerful, so beautiful… I must hunt it! It'll be worth a fortune!'** Chrono mused and, without thought of the consequences, loaded his slinger and launched a bolt straight at the beast.

' **Chrono no!'** Bellowed Azor, but it was too late and the bolt exploded in a dazzling gleam of light. Countless screams of pain and fear matched the bang of the bolt, once again, Chrono was left the only one able to see.

Even the great beast writhed in the air, its fire extinguished, and cried out in pain. But it recovered quickly and glared down at them all. **'You'll pay for that, Hunter!'**

Chrono paled and felt a smile grow across his face. **'It spoke… it spoke my tongue…'**

In the time it takes the eye to blink the creature raced from the sky to the forest, landing with such force it shook the earth. _She_ was much bigger up close, twice Chrono's height easily. Now he could see her closely, could make out her features.

Scales as black as coal coated her muscular body like a suit of armor, with a soft illuminous pink underbelly. Short, stubby arms that lacked serious muscle tone, but had twin spikes growing from the shoulders. Tipped with illuminous pink flames. Shark like fins ran down the length of her elongated neck and spine, right down to the tip of her tail, at the end of which burned a fierce pink flame. Legs that were short, but extremely muscular, with three talons on each foot. Beautiful pink flames were spilled from the corners of her square jaw, and rose to meet the full length of her horns. Ragged wings that were far larger than her body, they appeared to have healed in that condition. Piercing blue eyes that captivated Chrono's vision.

There could be no doubt as to what this miraculous creature really was. **'A dragon…'** he whispered in awe.

' **Attack!'** Cried Azor. With what few Hunter's survived her first attack, he charged. The dragon effortlessly swatted Azor aside with a smack of her wing, a slash of her tail launched many other Hunters through the air, burning alive.

Bazuzu jumped at her, grabbed onto her back, and bit down on her shoulder as hard as he could. Yet failed to draw blood. **'Get off me you lazy lump of fat!'** Barked the dragoness and hurled his gargantuan weight over her shoulder, as if he were nothing. **'Out of my sight!'**

Chrono avoided the flying slaking and made sure to stay out of the dragon's path, from safety he watched a greninja hurl a dozen Water Shurikens at her, but she blocked them all with her wing and struck back with the fiercest Flamethrower Chrono had ever witnessed. The greninja fell to the ground, dead. Burned to death in an instant. Together a tyranitar and a hunter charged her, before they could even strike, she drove her fist through the armor plating of the tyranitar. Disembowelling the hunter was child's play compared to that.

Azor rose again, groaning, his arm bled and hung limply. **'What in the name of the Maker are you?!'**

The great dragoness hurled the dying pokémon into a group of Hunters and pokémon, she spread her wings and roared her name. **'CYNDER!'**

Her back was exposed, Chrono saw his chance and sprinted for it. His slinger prepped and aimed, he cried out. **'Cynder!'** His trank bolt exploded into her face as she turned, shrouding her beauty in a veil of green mist. Turning a body into a makeshift bounce pad, Chrono leapt into the air and poised his sword to strike the dragon's chest.

A thick, black scaled tail tightly coiled around his throat and choked off his air supply, he dropped his blade and struggled against the powerful limb, but it was no use. It was going to hold him in the air whether he liked it or not. From the misty veil, Cynder jutted her head. **'You're the one who shot me,'** she growled and raised her three clawed hand to his side. **'Your death will be slow and painful,'** she snarled and slowly stabbed him, **'enjoy the Taint.'**

Chrono could say nothing, couldn't even scream. So tightly bound was his throat. Almost immediately as the claws sank in, his vision began to blur, and his muscles grew weak and slacked. Pain fled from his body as his eyes slowly fell shut, compelled to sleep, he could do nothing to resist any further. _Finally… I die._

* * *

' **That's the last thing I remember,'** Chrono horsed, **'the dragon stabbed me and I blacked out'**

Samlen scowled back at him, his face otherwise stoic and revealing nothing, but his eyes gave away that which he tried to hide. Samlen was afraid. Very afraid. **'Well, whatever Cynder is, she ain't a dragon. They don't come this far north, ever. And dragons can't speak, at all. Whatever attacked you, it wasn't a dragon.'**

Chrono, weakened from telling his story, dropped his head back and gazed into the sky. He didn't care what Samlen, or what anyone else, said. He knew what he saw. Knew what almost killed him. It was a dragon named Cynder… why did he have a foreboding feeling that warned him he would be meeting her again?

' **Beautiful, isn't it?'** Samlen asked, also gazing into the sky, **'the Breach is beautiful… dangerous, but beautiful. You said you wondered if the sky was really green, do you want to know if it is? WELL DO YA?!'** Chrono limply nodded, too tired and in too much pain to properly answer. **'Well it is, the sky's always been green. It's just the Great Ward that makes it look blue, but now it's been torn open and… well, now everyone can see what it really looks like.'** Samlen's demeanour calmed, his posture relaxed, and he sighed. **'I knew this would happen. We've taken the Great Ward for granted for far too long… now we're going to lose it, and nothing will hold the Darkspawn back. It's finally come… the apocalypse is upon us.'**

Confused, Chrono raised his head to look Samlen in the eye. **'Darkspawn? What Darkspawn, what apocalypse?'** Confusion gave way to anger as he spoke, if he had the strength, he would've struck Samlen.

The Mage ignored his questions and stood, pocketing his supplies, he turned his pitiful gaze upon Chrono. **'There's no point in explaining it to you, lad. You'll be dead before too long, it'd just be a waste of both our time to explain it. I'm sorry.'**

Chrono calmed and forced himself to sit up. **'I thought you were healing me, where're you going?'**

' **Did the best I could lad, the healing and the elfroot potion should buy you a few more days and slow the progression, but I can't cure what's killing you.'**

' **Well, what's killing me if it's not the wound?'** Chrono asked, now intrigued, **'how did I survive this long if there's something killing me?'**

Samlen took his time to answer, he seemed troubled, as if the words he had in mind would hurt him to speak. **'Chrono… you've got the Darkspawn Taint, and it** _ **will**_ **kill you. There's nothing more I can do for you, the only people who can help you now are the Grey Wardens. And I do not know just how you have survived this long, never before have I encountered a case like yours. I pray Xerneas, in her infinite mercy, is kind enough to allow us to meet again. When your health improves of course. Goodbye my Hunter friend, I wish you the best of luck.'**

* * *

 **And there it is friends, the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Currently this chapter is un-Beta read, so there might be some mistakes I'm afraid. My Beta has unfortunately left, so if anyone's interested in being my new Beta, send me a PM and we can see what happens.**

 **Hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter, do me a favour and hit that Follow/Favourite button with your face! Then tell me what you thought of this piece of crap, and throw it at me in a review! Anything welcome, especially flames! DRAGON** _ **LOVES**_ **FLAMES!**

' **Till next time guys,**

 **Dragon out!**


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